Viva Wallet Group

Viva Wallet Holdings
Company typePrivate
IndustryNeobank
Founded2000
FoundersHaris Karonis
Makis Antypas
HeadquartersAthens, Greece
Key people
Haris Karonis (CEO)
Total equityUS$2.055 billion (2022)[1]
OwnerViva Wallet Holdings Software Development (51.5%)
JPMorgan Chase (48.5%)[2]
Number of employees
427 (2020)
SubsidiariesVivabank
Viva Services
Viva Payment Services
Websitewww.viva.com/en-eu

Viva Wallet  is a European Neobank entirely based in Microsoft Azure with presence in 24 European countries.[3][4] Viva Wallet Holdings owns a Banking License (VIVABANK SA).[5] In January 2022, international media reported that Viva Wallet was the first Greek unicorn startup[6] company after an agreement with JP Morgan Chase was announced.[7] Viva Wallet is part of the Viva Wallet Group, consisting of the subsidiaries Viva Services SA, Viva Payment Services and Vivabank.[8]

History

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In 2000, Haris Karonis founded Realize SA in Athens, Greece, which initially operated as a software house. In 2006, Viva Services was founded and entered the voice over IP business and later travel services, followed in 2010 by an expansion to the e-ticketing market. In 2011, Haris Karonis and Makis Antypas founded Viva Payments, which is licensed as a payment institution for the European Economic Area, following the transposition of the PSD2 in the Greek institutional framework.[9]

Three years later, in 2014, the company obtained an Electronic Money Association License[10] and announced the completion of its Series A round funding round, led by the Latsis family office.[11]

In 2020, Viva Wallet expanded its services to 23 European countries.[12] On August 3 of the same year, the company announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank.[13]

In 2021, Viva Wallet announced the completion of its Series D funding round, led by Tencent, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as Jim Breyer’s Breyer Capital.[14]

Investment from JP Morgan

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On 25 January 2022, JPMorgan Chase announced that it was to buy a 48.5% stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A.[7] After the agreement with JP Morgan, international media reported that Viva Wallet was the first Greek ''unicorn startup."[6]

Founders

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Haris Karonis was born in 1974 in Athens, Greece. He is currently the CEO and Co-founder of Viva Wallet.[15]

Makis Antypas was born in Athens, Greece, in 1976. He’s the Co-founder and CIO of Viva Wallet and is currently serving as the CEO of Vivabank.[16]

Viva Wallet's subsidiaries

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Viva Services

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Viva Services is a provider of online services in Greece.

It is an online travel agency, a KO telecommunications provider licensed by the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission and a registered insurance agent. The company is a subsidiary of Viva Wallet Holdings SA (formerly Realize SA).

Vivabank

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On August 3, 2020, Viva Wallet announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank, opening the way for the creation of Vivabank.[13] Vivabank is a credit institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Greece.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Viva Wallet Stock Price, Funding, Valuation, Revenue & Financial Statements".
  2. ^ "Viva Wallet announces closing of J.P. Morgan deal". Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  3. ^ Georgiopoulos, George (2022-01-25). "JPMorgan agrees to acquire 49% stake in Greek fintech Viva Wallet". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  4. ^ "JPMorgan sees Viva Wallet investment as building block in Europe". American Banker. 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  5. ^ "UPDATE 1-Greek fintech Viva Wallet gears up for 500 mln euro fundraising -sources". Reuters. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  6. ^ a b Tagaris, Karolina; Maltezou, Renee (2022-02-09). "Greece's fledgling tech scene starts to take off". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  7. ^ a b "J.P. Morgan to acquire a stake in Viva Wallet". JP Morgan. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  8. ^ IQ (2021-03-29). "Greek ticketer Viva expands marketplace into Europe". IQ Magazine. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  9. ^ "Viva Wallet: The history of the Greek Neobank and its path to the top of fintech". emeastartups. 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  10. ^ "Our members | Electronic Money Association". Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  11. ^ Chrysopoulos, Philip (2022-02-01). "JP Morgan Viva Wallet Deal Creates Greece's First FinTech Unicorn". GreekReporter.com. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  12. ^ Sotiris Nikas; Jan-Henrik Foerster; Ruth David (November 25, 2021). "JPMorgan Is Said to Weigh Deal With Greek Fintech Viva Wallet". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  13. ^ a b "Viva Wallet buys Greece's first digital challenger Praxia Bank". FinTech Futures. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  14. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (2021-04-28). "Greece's Viva Wallet raises $80M for its neobank targeting small business merchants". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  15. ^ "Greece Rising | Sifted". sifted.eu. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  16. ^ "Makis Antypas - Fintech Finance". ffnews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  17. ^ "Supervised-institutions". Bank of Greece. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
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